Divine deck design

Tips to help you design the right deck for your needs.

When choosing materials, it’s important to ask yourself how much maintenance you’ll want to do on your new deck.

When it comes to improving outdoor living spaces, decks are a popular choice. If you're thinking about adding a new deck, or even replacing or resurfacing an old deck, there are a lot of things to consider before you get started. These tips from Fiberon, a deck manufacturer, will help you design the right deck for your needs.

Determine deck use

Think through all the ways you'll be using your deck.

Will you entertain frequently? If so, how many people will you need space for?

What kind of seating will you need — patio furniture or built-in benches?

Will you need lighting to entertain at night?

Choose deck location

For most people, the size and orientation of your house and property limit possible deck locations to one or two areas. Within those areas, think about things like:

Climate — If your area gets hot, humid summers, putting a deck in a southern or western location might make it a hot spot you'll end up avoiding. Is it windy where you live? Then think about putting the deck where it will get some protection from the house or a screen of trees.

Select deck materials

What's your budget? When calculating costs, decide the amenities and features you want such as an arbor, fire pit, multiple deck levels, and type of railing.

How much maintenance are you willing to do? Treated lumber is a common choice for decks. While wood has its advantages, maintenance can become a chore that adds up in terms of time and money. Composite decking is a lower maintenance option that more and more homeowners are choosing.

The addition of a deck is a great way to increase your outdoor living space and add value to your home. Asking the right questions and using the right tools will help you create a deck design that's truly divine.

—Family Features.com

Free online tools

When it comes to the design stage of the process, many deck manufacturers, including Trex (www.trex.com) and Fiberon (www.fiberondecking.com), offer free online design tools that allow you to select the shape, size, wood type, color and other deck features to “build” your own custom design. North Carolina homeowners can also look for retailers and builders in their area at these websites. At the DIY website www.bighammer.com (requires Internet Explorer), you enter your zip code, choose from more than 70 deck templates or draw free-form, and print out a specific design for submission to your local government for permits.